My Favorite IKEA Finds
I’ve always been a little intimidated by IKEA. Aside from my eternal love for the Expedit bookshelf (which you can read all about here!), I have always found the whole IKEA shopping experience to be so overwhelming and exhausting. Something tells me I’m not alone…!
On my last shopping trip there I decided to take matters into my own hands. I did a ton of research ahead of time – what do interior design professionals buy at IKEA? What do other bloggers think are great deals? – and by the time I walked through those blue and yellow doors, I had a pretty good idea of what I might find there and what I wanted.
Here are some of my favorites finds from my last trip…
1) The Eivor Throw.
This throw blanket is only $19.99 can you believe it?! It’s large and soft and has this great designer look.
We tried it in our guest room. I think it adds a nice touch…
2) The UNG DRILL mirror.
I’m not one for the Victorian craze right now, but at $39.99 this mirror is a good deal. I figured I could spray paint it orange or yellow for our basement playroom.
Love this shot of the UNG DRILL:
And loving all the DIY projects people have done with the UNG DRILL:
3) The Komplement multi-use hanger.
This thing is $7.99 and a brilliant organizational tool.
I just learned that the woman who designed Carrie Bradshaw’s closet on Sex and The City (hello! What an amazing job that would be!), LOVES the Komplement hanger. She uses it for scarves…
but you can use it to store other things as well…
4) The RENS Sheepskin Rug.
Now that Baby Caroline is into Tummy Time I thought this purchase would be a great idea, and then once Tummy Time is a thing of the past I can use this as a very chic accessory, sort of casually slung somewhere. 🙂 Oh and at $29.99 the price seriously can’t be beat.
This is Keri Russell’s bedroom in Elle Decor – even she uses the RENS!
Another shot. See how chic?
5) The PREMIAR Picture (aka, The “World Map”)
It’s always a challenge to find something awesome for a kid’s wall, isn’t it? I love this wall hanging because of its sheer size, and the fact that it’s ready to hang. The map is $149.00 – if you’ve done any wall decor research lately you already know that’s a great price.
Our nephew Aaron has one hanging in his nursery – he’s a fashion-forward little dude. It looks something like this…
6) The SALONG Vase.
This is just one of many white, funky vases to choose from at IKEA. It’s only $4.99!
I’m always on the lookout for small accessories for a bookshelf or coffee table. The SALONG vase is very sculptural and simple. The effect would be something like this:
These aren’t identical to the SALONG, but I think you get the drift. I’d especially love to see the SALONG vase in front of a rich color like red or slate gray – it would be very striking.
Are you sufficiently inspired to try your hand at IKEA again soon? Here are some other tips for shopping at IKEA that I learned along the way:
– If you can, go to IKEA on a weekday. Part of my exhaustion in the past was just the sheer number of people, everywhere! This time, I arrived right when the place opened on a Friday morning, and it was much more manageable.
– Check on IKEA’s website beforehand to see if the items you want are even available. You can check to see if something’s in stock for your particular store.
– When you walk through those doors, show your list of desired items to the first IKEA employee you see – they can head over to the nearest computer, complete all the full service ordering, and then write the location of each item so you’re not wandering through the store straining to look at tags. Genius!
2 Comments